Curiosity and the Cat
by Mouse-Mouse
Summary: [Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne] Lil' collection IsamuxNaoki onetwo shots, set throughout the game. Some link together, some may be AU. Feel the luff :3
1. Curiosity and the Cat

Curiosity and the Cat

Author's Note: A one shot that shuffled into my head, sat down and glared at me. For this fic, our glowing little hero will be called 'Naoki'; I've read a few different names for him, but I like Naoki.

WARNING!! Contains Isamu x Naoki. Pre-Conception. Whee.

Disclaimer: I do not own Isamu or Naoki or anyone else mentioned in this fic. Don't make me say it again x-x

* * *

The dark haired boy gave a soft snort as his eyes caught sight of the alarm clock by his bed, rising to answer the front door to his cocky classmate, Isamu Nitta. He'd been lounging around in his room, getting a head start on the homework half an hour before Mr. Nitta was scheduled to arrive. 

It was now half an hour _after_ the given time.

Naoki wasn't surprised, opening the door to find Isamu grinning at him, drenched from the rain. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, his lip quirking instead, the slightly shorter teen moved aside to allow relief from the weather.

"Totally lost track of time, bus late - etcetera. Pick your own excuse," the grin never leaving, Isamu took off his hat and placed it on Naoki's short ruffled hair. He groaned and pulled it off quickly, feeling the freezing water trickling down the back of his neck.

"You were too preoccupied with your girlfriend I bet." Light grey eyes blinked at him, the grin turning into an 'eh?' as Isamu fought with a shoe to pry it from his foot.

"What girlfriend? I broke up with the last one on Wednesday." Shoes successfully removed, Naoki had a mere moment to blink before a sodden black jacket thwacked him in the face.

"Ugh!" Isamu chuckled at him, red shirt relatively dry thanks to the extra layer. Jeans clung to skin but there was no way he was shedding them if one of Naoki's parents were around. That would be beyond embarrassing. Water had seeped into his school bag, and he grumbled at the ink smudges on some of the pages as he followed Naoki to his room. "I thought you liked her?"

"Meh, she never shut up and was _way_ too clingy. I mean, wanting to be around me is understandable, but she was like a leech or something." Naoki tried to stifle that little giggle he did that Isamu teased him about, ducking inside his room in an attempt to evade attention. Isamu teased because the giggle was the sort that would be cute on a girl, and Naoki had enough mildly girlish tendencies anyway. When he was deep in thought, he had this very soft curve in his lip and his eyes half-hooded, giving him an oddly gentle – almost _effeminate_ – look. The girls thought it was cute, but he seemed to shy away from their attention which made Isamu all the more confused.

He wallowed in attention.

"Move up," the guest instructed, slumping down on his friend's bed with a relieved sigh. "Isn't Chiaki coming?" Naoki shook his head, little tufts of black waving. They amused Isamu for some reason.

"She's got something on with her family."

"Geez, the girl bugs me to no ends about 'keeping up with the work so I don't fall behind'-" here he did a squeaky impression of Chiaki, "-and then doesn't even show up herself!" Naoki returned to the question he'd been trying to answer when the other teen decided to finally arrive.

"I'm sure she's nagging you telepathically,"

"Oh God, imagine if she _could_ mind reads...that would suck. Do you think she'd gossip more or use it to get even higher grades?" Naoki shook his head with a breath of laughter. He swore Isamu's mind wandered too much for his own good. "I reckon she'd be trying to brainwash people. If she could I mean...Whoa! What if she brainwashed us into being her slaves or something? Man, that's just scary...Are you listening?"

"Yeah..." The reply was absent and Naoki suffered a sharp poke on the forehead for it. "Hey!"

"You weren't listening!"

"Homework." The shorter boy held up the paper defensively, as if it alone was responsible for everything. Isamu stared at it for a moment, gave a low 'tch' and searched for a matching copy in his school bag. "That was the idea of you coming over you know, Chiaki told me you probably hadn't done it." Isamu lunged suddenly and grabbed the quiet teen in headlock, ruffling his hair.

"So you're gonna be my best friend in the entire world, _ever_, and give me the answers so she doesn't chew me out on Monday and Ms. Takao doesn't hate me. Aren't you _buddy_?" That damn grin again. Naoki frowned, removing the arm trying to choke him and running a hand back through his hair. The persistent tufts still stuck up defiantly.

"No. You're going to ask for help if you get stuck." Isamu threw a childish hissing fit, whining and slouching where he sat. Irked that he was completely ignored, he narrowed his eyes and growled 'traitor' under his breath before turning his attention to the part of the book he was supposed to be answering about. Or something. He'd found the back of Naoki's neck ever-so-terribly interesting that day as he had been sitting behind him (moved for talking to the only other seat due to an absence and chair-stealing.) Thus, everything the teacher had been talking about had gone in one ear and out the other.

He was vaguely aware that Naoki had shifted to lie back on his pillow, book against his thighs and that it was getting darker, but not fully aware of how late it was getting.

Meh, Naoki wouldn't mind if he crashed here tonight.

And if he did, he'd give the infamous 'Isamu-Nitta-puppy-eyes-pout', no one could resist it, not even Chiaki. And that girl was a bloodthirsty dragon. He was proud when he'd almost finished the task that he'd be able to get her off his back for a while.

"Y'know this isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Goes to show I've got beauty and br-" Naoki was asleep. His eyes were closed and his head had lolled to one side, one hand resting on his stomach, the other on his chest. The book had slid from its resting place as his legs had relaxed and stretched across the duvet, perilously balancing on the edge. Isamu felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, even though he didn't know why. Putting the book and his pen beside him, the dark haired boy leaned over his slumbering friend, waving a hand in front of closed eyes to make sure he wasn't faking it. Why he would be was beyond Isamu, but he was just checking.

Naoki grumbled softly in his sleep, shifting a little, arching his neck as he did so.

The taller teen shook his head; black bangs half obscuring grey eyes. Why was he so fascinated with him? He liked girls, so it wasn't like he was..._gay_, or anything. It was true that lately he'd been noticing every little thing Naoki did, but that was because they were good friends. 'You like girls, Isamu, not boys –_ girls_. Giggly little things with boobs, not guys!' he sat up right again, leaning against the wall, staring out across Naoki's tidy room. Very tidy in comparison to his. There were some items of clothing on the floor, but that was nothing.

Isamu glanced back at the slumbering human.

He was curious, however. _If_, for the sake of argument, he did like guys – insert cringe fest here – how come Naoki was the only one he ever noticed in _that_ way? Was Naoki like a one off or something? Was his brain just totally screwed up?

Isamu risked leaning over the boy again, closer this time, daring himself to go all dreamy and star struck...

HA! He didn't! That meant –

"_Unnnh_..."

...that _meant_ that Naoki shouldn't be allowed to moan so-so..._Naoki-ishly_...Isamu clapped a hand to his forehead. Crushes on a friend were one thing but a friend of the same sex? Wait a sec, when did he decide this was a crush? Was it a crush?

...maybe?

He watched the boy between his fingers, his hand some sort of guard to hide behind. Naoki, none the wiser, continued to sleep, oblivious to his friends inner battle and to the idea that he might be pounced on in a minute if Isamu's mind took an irrational turn. Isamu wasn't particularly rational to begin with. And he was a curious boy.

Maybe he should leave.

Yes...yes, he should. "Unnh-sorry. I must have drifted off...have you finished the questions yet?" Isamu didn't answer for a while, staring blankly at his best friend. His male best friend who had began to shift uncomfortably under the stare. "I-Isamu? Are you oka-!" Inquisitiveness and absurdity crashed headlong into one another in young Mr. Nitta's brain, with just the sort of long-wordiness that didn't allow him to think properly. Poor Naoki wasn't entirely sure what happened; one minute his friend was staring at him like he'd never met him before, and then suddenly he was flat on his back with aforementioned friend's lips firmly against his own.

All for the sake of an irrational teen's curiosity.

Cats were horribly hissy-spitty-bitey-clawy creatures anyway, Isamu reasoned, what was a few less in the world?

* * *

There should be more Megaten love. More I tell you. _MORE_. (Naoki GLOWS for heck's sake, GLOWS!) –Don't despair, have not gone temporarily insane- 

And yes, more IsamuxNaoki love. It makes me happy :heartness: ...as do reviews :p

EDIT: Oh for the love of-! The formatting has been eaten. .-. Woe is me.


	2. Standing On Your Head

Standing on Your Head

Kinda follow-up to 'Curiosity and the Cat'. I think there might be a few of these on the way. Sometimes when I get snowed under with things and can't settle into the mood for a long story, one shots are really easy to sit down and type.

And there needs to be more IsamuxNaoki love.

Oh yes, _indeed_. nn

Sorry if anyone seems OOC, I didn't really get a very strong view of each character's personality through the game. Whether that's me being dense and needing to go and actually finish it (I'm one of the ones who heard about it through DMC, wanted it but didn't actually get it until a little while ago T-T) and then play through again several hundred times remains to be argued. :3

You reviewers are _wonderful_! –glomphugs!-

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just wish I did. (le sigh)

* * *

It was rare that anyone else joined them on their free periods. Chiaki had a couple of tag along friends that sat with them sometimes and giggled over Isamu groaning at the evil that is assignments and Isamu himself was often invited to sit with the huge crowds of the 'in' crowd. He always refused; they were too high strung for his tastes.

Naoki had plenty of acquaintances, but Isamu and Chiaki were the only real friends he had, the only ones he counted on.

"It's cuz you're so quiet all the time, you never let anyone get to know you." Isamu had once commented, perched on the edge of his desk and munching an apple during the detention he'd got them both. "If you open up a little-"

"Mr. Nitta! No eating in the detention room! Back to your seat!" Ms. Angry-Old-Dragon had spat upon returning to the room.

"Hey Naoki..." The brown haired girl was frowning in strange mix of annoyance and bewilderment, struggling to tear her eyes from the page and admit defeat. When she finally did, she glanced round warily.

"Yes?"

"I uh...I'm having a little trouble with this question..." She slid the paper across to him almost reluctantly. He knew from her look he wasn't to breathe a word about her needing help to Isamu.

"Hey guys!" Aforementioned teen dropped into the seat across Naoki. "What I miss?" Chiaki made to take back her paper, hopefully without Isamu noticing. Light grey eyes locked on like a homing missile. A grin spread across his face. "Oh-huu! Don't tell me the great Chiaki Hayasaka was asking for some _help!_" The girl glared at him.

"Shut up. I'm allowed to need help sometimes." Isamu laughed in reply, Chiaki's cheeks turning rosy pink as she set her lips in a thin line and attempted to get on with her work and ignore the newly arrived member of their little gang. Realising he'd obviously brushed on a sore spot, Isamu tried to lean into her line of sight.

"Awww, c'mon Chiaki, don't go all PMS-y on me...I was only kiddin', geez. You women are like...like..." He turned to their quiet companion. "Naoki, you're smart, what changes loads, really fast, really often?"

"Um...-" Chiaki gave a sudden squeak and fussed with her hair.

"Do I look okay?" Her male companions stared blankly back, blinking in unison.

"You mean okay as in...alive?" She playfully swatted Isamu's arm and swiftly left their bench, making a B-line for her long-time crush. He was captain of the sports team and one of those boys constantly followed by a legion of swooning girls. Isamu chuckled at the blue eyed girl shyly talking to him by the water fountain, ignoring death glares sent her way. "Our little Chiaki's growing up, seems like only yesterday she was condemning all men as self-centred pigs." Naoki smiled, flicking through the monstrous text book in front of him.

"That's just girls for you I'm afraid; nice and sweet one minute, mean and nasty the next." The light grey eyed boy gave a 'hmm' and fiddled with his necklace. Looking up at Naoki as they sat in companionable silence, Isamu wondered whether he should risk opening his clumsy mouth and arrange another study meeting at ne of their houses. After what happened last time, he doubted the quiet boy would agree.

That had been _beyond_ awkward.

Realising he was staring, Isamu picked up another book to pretend to read should he nearly be caught. Neither of them had breathed a word to Chiaki, of that he was certain. Though she'd probably think it was cute or something, being all strange and female like she was. It had been difficult resisting the urge to kiss Naoki twice that night; after separating from their first, the younger had been staring wide-eyed at him in apparent shock and with a blush spreading over his cheeks and Isamu had felt his heartbeat against his own. It worried him how _normal_ it felt. Trying to cover up the tracks of his irrational and curious mind, Isamu had merely given a slight 'hn' as if coming to a conclusion and sat upright again.

"Just checking my dislike for my girlfriends wasn't because I was gay or anything." Naoki hadn't looked any more comfortable with the explanation and was careful not to fall asleep again until Isamu left.

Looking at him now, the black haired boy wondered if the quiet one had felt that same..._rightness _about it. If he though Isamu was cute too. If he wished Isamu _would_ kiss him again.

'Stop thinking.' He warned his brain before the temptation to pounce over the table became any worse. Did that mean he liked boys then?

Looking over at the other male students milling around, Isamu failed to find any of them appealing. But looking back at Naoki, he got the little warm fuzzies inside. Isamu glared at a page of the book; warm fuzzies annoyed him. So...it was just Naoki he liked...which was bearable, because Naoki was girly anyway and _everyone_ goes through the stage of confusion, don't they? Yes, they do now. So there was nothing wrong with him, it was just his stupid teenager-y hormones. In a couple of years he'll laugh at thinking Naoki was hot. Lau-wait...hot was going several steps further than simply cute...hmmm...blame the hormones, yes, for they were evil and stupid and thus making him go mad.

Yup, problem solved.

"Isamu?" The teen jumped slightly and blinked at Naoki.

"Eh?" He managed to utter.

"Why are you glaring at an upside-down book?" Blink.

"Uhhh...diagram...thing."

"Oh, okay," unconvinced, Naoki nevertheless returned to his work. Isamu turned the diagram-less book the right way round and hid behind it.

Chiaki better hurry. Naoki was distracted and leaning forward and Isamu was more than quick enough to give him another near-heart-attack.

'Damn hormones.'

* * *

A/N: And thus another uber-confused-Isamu and quiet-and-effeminate-Naoki. With a little added Chiaki! I don't actually think Naoki is very girly, just the way isamu sees him. I don't know why Isamu sees him as girly either...o-o bweh.

There are at least two more milling in my mind currently, post-game. One after the Musubi ending, the other after the-ending-where-everything-goes-back-to-the-way-it-was-pre-conception (whee!)


End file.
